STARTVerso1: A randomized trial of faldaprevir plus pegylated interferon/ribavirin for chronic HCV genotype-1 infection

Background & Aims: The efficacy and tolerability of faldaprevir, a potent hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitor, plus peginterferon (PegIFN) and ribavirin (RBV) was assessed in a double- blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study of treatment-naive patients with HCV genotype-1 infection. Methods: Patients were randomly assigned (1: 2: 2) to PegIFN/RBV plus: placebo (arm 1, n = 132) for 24 weeks; faldaprevir (120 mg, once daily) for 12 or 24 weeks (arm 2, n = 259); or faldaprevir (240 mg, once daily) for 12 weeks (arm 3, n = 261). In arms 2 and 3, patients with early treatment success (HCV-RNA < 25 IU/ml at week 4 and undetectable at week 8) stopped all treatment at week 24. Other patients received PegIFN/RBV until week 48 unless they met futility criteria. The primary endpoint was sustained virologic response 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12). Results: SVR12 was achieved by 52%, 79%, and 80% of patients in arms 1, 2, and 3, respectively (estimated difference for arms 2 and 3 vs. arm 1: 27%, 95% confidence interval 17%-36%; and 29%, 95% confidence interval, 19%-38%, respectively; p < 0.0001 for both). Early treatment success was achieved by 87% (arm 2) and 89% (arm 3) of patients, of whom 86% and 89% achieved SVR12. Adverse event rates were similar among groups; few adverse events led to discontinuation of all regimen components. Conclusions: Faldaprevir plus PegIFN/RBV significantly increased SVR12, compared with PegIFN/RBV, in treatment-naive patients with HCV genotype-1 infection. No differences were seen in responses of patients given faldaprevir once daily at 120 or 240 mg. (C) 2014 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.